Vehicle control device

Abstract

A vehicle control device includes a processor, a memory and a sensor that acquires surrounding environment information of the vehicle, a host vehicle position estimation unit that estimates the route of the vehicle, a surrounding environment storage unit that stores the surrounding environment information and the route estimated by the host vehicle position estimation unit in association with each other, a vehicle-speed threshold determination unit that sets a vehicle-speed threshold value when the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the route in association with each other, and determines whether or not a current vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle-speed threshold value when the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the route, and a warning unit that performs a notification of an excess of the vehicle speed when the vehicle-speed threshold determination unit determines that the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle-speed threshold value.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle control device that includes a processor and a memory and controls traveling of a vehicle, the vehicle control device comprising:
 a sensor that acquires surrounding environment information of the vehicle;   a host vehicle position estimation unit that estimates a traveling route of the vehicle;   a surrounding environment storage unit that stores the surrounding environment information acquired by the sensor and the traveling route estimated by the host vehicle position estimation unit in association with each other;   a vehicle-speed threshold determination unit that sets a vehicle-speed threshold value when the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the traveling route in association with each other, and determines whether or not a current vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle-speed threshold value when the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the traveling route;   a warning unit that performs a notification of an excess of the vehicle speed when the vehicle-speed threshold determination unit determines that the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle-speed threshold value, and   an input unit that receives a start point m 1  at which storing of surrounding environment information and traveling route is started,   wherein the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the traveling route in association with each other from the start point m 1  to a target position set in advance,   wherein the vehicle-speed threshold determination unit sets an upper limit of the vehicle-speed threshold value as a first vehicle-speed threshold value v 1  from the start point m 1  to a point m 2  where the vehicle approaches near a landmark that is recognized,   sets the upper limit of the vehicle-speed threshold value as a second vehicle-speed threshold value v 2  lower than the first vehicle-speed threshold value v 1  from the point m 2  to a point m 3  where parking is started, and   sets a vehicle speed lower limit value v 3  as lower than the second vehicle-speed threshold value v 2  in a range where estimation accuracy of the host vehicle position is secured; the vehicle control device further comprising:   a vehicle control unit that performs autonomous driving based on the traveling route and the surrounding environment information stored in the surrounding environment storage unit,   wherein the vehicle control unit   performs autonomous driving in accordance with the surrounding environment information and the traveling route from the start point m 1  to the target position, which are stored in the surrounding environment storage unit, when a command of the autonomous driving is received from the input unit,   in the region from the start point m 1  to the point m 2 , sets the upper limit of a target vehicle-speed as the first vehicle-speed threshold value v 1 , the vehicle speed lower limit value v 3  in the range where estimation accuracy of the host vehicle position is secured, and the target vehicle-speed as between the first vehicle-speed threshold value v 1  and the vehicle speed lower limit value v 3 ,   in the region from the point m 2  to near the point m 3 , sets the upper limit of a target vehicle-speed as the second vehicle-speed threshold value v 2 , the vehicle speed lower limit value v 3  in the range where estimation accuracy of the host vehicle position is secured, and the target vehicle-speed as between the second vehicle-speed threshold value v 2  and the vehicle speed lower limit value v 3 ,   in the region from the point m 3 , releases the limit of the vehicle speed lower limit value v 3  in order to perform parking, further reduces the target vehicle speed, and performs automatic parking toward the target position.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding environment storage unit stops storing of the surrounding environment information and the traveling route when the vehicle has traveled at a vehicle speed exceeding the vehicle-speed threshold value for a predetermined time or longer. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the host vehicle position estimation unit detects a number of revolutions of a wheel of the vehicle, and estimates a position of the vehicle from the number of revolutions. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control unit refers to road map information to acquire a speed limit from road type information of traveling road, and set the target vehicle speed to be equal to or smaller than the speed limit. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the surrounding environment information includes a sign indicating a speed limit, the vehicle control unit sets the target vehicle speed to be equal to or smaller than a value of the sign. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the host vehicle position estimation unit estimates a position of the vehicle by using information of a satellite positioning system, and changes the target vehicle speed in accordance with a distance to the target position set in advance. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the traveling route in an external device. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle control device according to  claim 1  wherein
 the surrounding environment storage unit stores the surrounding environment information and the traveling route in an external device, and 
 the vehicle control unit acquires the traveling route and the surrounding environment information stored in the external device, and performs the autonomous driving.